Working for Gilbert Beilschmidt
by Sierra Lobo
Summary: Elizabeta is living on loose change, surviving off of instant ramen from Walmart, and driving a piss yellow car that can barely hold itself up. Life couldn't get worse right? Luckily, billionaire heart-throb (and professional douche) Gilbert Beilschmidt offers her a job that will pull her out of poverty. The catch? She has to work for him...and keep his secrets. (AU)
1. Chapter 1

_Elizabeta_

Alright, so here's the thing: I need a job. Like, I _really_ need a job. I've been living on the loose change I find around my apartment, and I've just barely managed to buy myself a 6 pack of instant ramen for the week.

"That'll be $1.98," the cashier says.

I hand her all the change I have, and she makes a face at the baggie of pennies. She counts them and comes at $1.97.

I let out a sigh and open my bag, praying I've got one more cent. She looks like she pities me as I scrounge around my bag for a last penny. You know it's bad when even the young Walmart cashiers drowning in student loans pity you.

The people behind me groan, and I shoot them a cold stare.

"Just take it," she sighs, handing me the noodles.

"Thanks…" I glance at her name tag. "Cheryl…"

She nods and I leave with my ramen, but definitely not my dignity.

I get in my car (side note: I call it Lemon, because it's yellow...and also a piece of shit), and the engine sputters to life like an old man waking up from a 24 hour nap. As I'm driving I wonder how my life even got to this point.

When I turn into the poorer part of town, I pass by some of the brown front yards on the one lane street when I hear an engine rev behind me. I look into the mirror and see a silver BL Schmidt _Eagle_ roaring towards me. I roll my eyes.

" _What the heck is a BL Schmidt doing here? The driver's either lost or an arrogant asshole."_ The _Eagle'_ s engine roars again, giving me a mini-heart attack. " _Maybe even both."_

The car keeps approaching fast, and I prepare to pull over when my car suddenly starts slowing down.

" _No, no, no! Not now...Ugh!"_ I forgot to find money for gas.

I look up and the BL Schmidt isn't stopping, I only have time for my eyes to widen as it collides with the back of my car.

* * *

 _Gilbert_

" _Okay, okay...deep breaths now Gil, it's no big deal...I'll be fine…Oh who am I kidding? I'm so dead...ugh I am literally Über dead with a capital u and an umlaut!"_ I am having a panic attack. I've paced around this room so many times my footprints are part of the carpet.

I look at the bandaged girl in the bed, and I clutch my head again, trying not to scream.

"I am so frick fracking deeeead!" I wail. I walk towards a wall in despair, resting my arm and my head on the wall. "ARGH!"

"Gilbert, what is with all the noi- oh mein gott who the hell is that?" I jump at the sound of my brother's voice. I swear my body whips around at 360 degrees per second.

"I-it's not as bad as it looks!" I stutter out. He looks absolutely horrified. His eyes looked like they would pop out of his skull.

"What did you do to her?" Ludwig screams. "Why is she unconscious and bleeding?"

"Okay, so funny story," I chuckle nervously. I can feel the sweat slowly squeezing from my pores.

"You think this is _funny_?" His roar breaks both my eardrums.

"No!" I snap. "I just-"

"Then why-"

"Stop it! Listen to m-"

"Nein! How the _fuck_ are gonna explain-"

Maybe it's the stress, or maybe it's the noise, but I feel a rush of anger fill my entire body.

"AGH! SHUT UUUUUUP!" I yell so loudly my entire body shakes.

Ludwig's mouth forms a tight line, his blue eyes piercing my soul. My anger fades into fear at the look in his eyes. " _When did I become such a wuss?"_

"Okay, are we gonna listen now?" I say, taking a seat on the bed to collect myself.

His eyes follow me, the rest of his body is rigid.

I take a deep breath. "So I was out testing one of our cars right?"

His expression doesn't change.

"And I wanted to take it for a spin on some of the shittiest roads I could find...you know, so I can test the tires and stuff…" I look up from the ground and Ludwig is still glaring at me. "So go down to Hempstead Turnpike...and I see -" A snort involuntarily forced its way up my nose.

Ludwig raises his eyebrow.

"I see this girl's car." My body is shaking and my eyes are tearing up. It's so damn funny! "I'm sorry okay? This girl's car…" I choke out. "It was just such a _piece of_ _Scheiße!_ " All the laughter I was holding back erupted from my body. "And the cherry on top? It was _piss_ yellow!" My abs are literally bursting and Ludwig doesn't even smile. Sometimes I wonder how we're even related.

It's a long while before my laughter subsides. Ugh, my throat is so sore, I haven't laughed that hard in ages. Totally worth it.

He rolls his eyes, putting his hands on his hips. "Gilbert, did you hit her?"

My mouth stretches into an uncomfortable grin.

He turns and marches out of the room.

Oh god, oh no. He's going to the garage.

"Wait! Ludwig!"

I stumble after him, telling him to wait, but there's nothing stopping him at this point.

He opens the garage door and the knuckles on the hand that's gripping the doorknob turn completely white. The _Eagle_ 's front bumper looks like a squished accordion, and the splitter looks like a huge flake of paint peeling off an old wall.

"Gilbert." His voice growls deep in his throat.

I let out a breath.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

As my life flashes before my eyes, I can see all the birds within a twenty mile radius take off in a panic.

I wish I could fly away too.

"Hey bro, relaaaax. We can fix this no problem. We've got plenty of money. Besides, this was just the prototype right?" I shove my hands in my pockets, forcing myself to stand up straight. I look straight at his nose.

I hate that my little brother is taller than me.

"I _don't care_ about the money." Ludwig pinches the bridge of his nose and runs his hands over his head. "Why couldn't you just take the girl to a damn hospital?"

"Because I can't risk getting involved with the police, duh."

"EXACTLY," he hisses. His face is inches from mine. "A car accident can land you right in their hands. Do you want us to get caught? Do you want to doom us all?"

"Hey there bro, getting a little up close and personal are we?" I joke.

My cheek is red and stinging in an instant.

"Can you take _anything_ seriously for once?" He stands up straight again, crossing his arms.

"Look, I'm sorry." I put my hands up. "I made a huge mistake and I'm a dick."

"How do you do it?" He turns away and rubs his forehead. "How do you work so well during our business transactions, but then act like such a clown at any other time?"

"I'm complicated Ludy-Lu." I shrug. "And I'm an excellent actor."

He sighs and turns to face me again. I am forgiven.

"Okay, what are we going to do about the girl?" He says.

I put my hand on my chin and think for a moment. "We offer her a job."

"What?" His eyes light up with confusion.

"Look at it this way. We save her life, give her a good paying job, she forgives me for the accident, and she keeps her mouth shut and never talks about it again."

He considers this for a moment, and looks like he'll be convinced. "What makes you think she'll take the job?"

"Well, judging from the abomination she was driving, and the fact that I found a pack of instant noodles from Walmart in her passenger seat, I'd say she _really_ needs the money."

He looks satisfied with my proposal. "Alright, how about this "abomination" of a vehicle she was driving? Where is it?"

"I called Alejandro. He's taken it to the junkyard. No evidence of the crash whatsoever."

"Hm." Ludwig smiles. "Maybe you're not as much of a clown as I thought."

"I am your older brother Ludy-Lu." I smirk.

He rolls his eyes at his nickname. "What job are you going to offer her exactly?"

"My personal assistant."

* * *

A/N: Ooh, what's Elizabeta gonna think about Gilbert's proposal when she wakes up? And why are Ludwig and Gilbert hiding from the po-po? Stay tuned for another exciting installment of _Working for Gilbert Beilschmidt_ … Please leave a review, what do you think is going on? What are you looking forward to?

 **Next chapter release date - Estimated: July 21st.**

Also, I'm going to leave this list of characters and their companies here for the next few chapters. Just until you guys are totally familiar with it. I understand that it could get confusing, especially once I introduce everyone.

* * *

 **Characters and Companies:**

Gilbert Beilschmidt and Ludwig Beilschmidt: _BL Schmidt_

-Elizabeta Héderváry: Works for Gil

 **Industry: Entry-level Luxury, Luxury, and Ultra-Luxury Cars**

Real-life comparison: BMW meets Rolls-Royce

Roderich Edelstein: _Edelstein_

 **Industry: Luxury Jewelry**

Real-life comparison: Swarovski

Antonio Fernández Carriedo: _Antonio Fernández_

Lovino and Feliciano Vargas: _Fratelli Italiani_ (Subsidiary company)

Also holds Francis' collections ( _Le Bonnefoy)_

Real-life comparison: Chanel

 **Industry: High-end Fashion**

Real-life comparison: Versace

Francis Bonnefoy: _Bonnefoy's_

 **Industry: Food (5-star Restaurant)**

Real-life comparison: Restaurant Le Meurice (Paris)

Arthur Kirkland: _Kirkland_

 **Industry: Casinos and Hotels**

Real-life comparison: Hilton meets Caesars Palace

Alfred F. Jones: _A.F Jones_

 **Industry: Entry-level Luxury, Luxury, and Ultra-Luxury Cars**

Real-life comparison: Ford meets Ferrari

*Owns some of Arthur's companies

Kirkland Signature (Costco)

Kirkland's Home

Ivan Braginsky: _Braginsky_

 **Industry: High-end Alcohol**

Real-life comparison: Grey Goose

Matthew Williams: _Matt & Kuma_

Kumajirou: Matt's pet polar bear (fully grown now)

 **Industry: High-end Fashion**

Real-life comparison: Hermes

Yao Wang: _Wang Electronics (W.E.)_

 **Industry: Electronics**

Real-life comparison: Apple


	2. Chapter 2

Introducing... **CHARACTER PROFILES:** **document/d/1WDg0VT_CGOVcd1T7NBIp31sOZGt1m6zwwke31TiSMfU/edit?usp=sharing**

This is where you'll find profiles on all the characters that will appear in this AU story, and also how I imagined them to look like in real-life. Keep in mind that you are still free to imagine their appearances differently! :) More will be added as the story progresses. Enjoy!

* * *

 _Elizabeta_

 _Lub dub. Lub dub. Lub dub._

I feel my entire head pounding to the rhythm of my heartbeat - it's annoying, and it hurts. " _Go back to sleep Eliza…"_ I will myself to fall back into the welcoming arms of deep sleep, but sleep refuses to receive me. " _Screw it."_

My eyes crack open slowly. Thankfully, the room is dim. I don't think I could have dealt with bright lights. I stare up at the ceiling for a bit, waiting for the pounding in my head to subside, when I think of a question I should have asked the moment I woke up: " _Where the heck am I?"_

My heart rate soars until it feels like my heart might break out of my chest.

Great, my headache is back.

The room is large, but cosy - everything is elegantly color coordinated, all the furniture is arranged artistically, and the moonlight from the window washes over everything beautifully. It's like this bedroom came straight out of a furniture catalog. There's a black door chest across the room that catches my eye. I get up on shaky legs to have a closer look, and a sudden spark of recognition hits me - it's a Henredon Jeena door chest from the _Acquisitions Paris_ catalogue and just above it, there's a Hyde ebony square mirror from _Mark D. Sikes._ Henredon is one of the most expensive furniture brands in the world! Whoever owns this house must be loaded!

Okay, I know what you're thinking. What kind of nerd memorizes the names of furniture pieces from catalogues? First of all, there was a coffee shop giving these catalogues away for free, and when you're sad and broke, looking at pictures of pretty furniture and pretending like you're rich is a _surprisingly_ good form of therapy.

I digress.

While I certainly am impressed by the Henredon pieces, I still have no clue whose house this is. My ankles crack with conviction every step I take, like I haven't walked or stood on my feet in ages. " _How long was I asleep here?"_ I open the door as quietly as I can and peer out into the hallway. Looks like nobody's awake yet…or maybe nobody's home?

I make my way down the hall, grateful for the carpeted floors. It makes it much easier to sneak around. I hadn't gone too far when I find a door with a sign: Gilbert's Awesome Room - Losers not Welcome. " _Gilbert?"_ Hm, maybe he's the owner of this house? Then again, this could just as easily be a child's room… judging from the signage.

I press my ear against the door, careful not to make a sound. I hear someone snoring. It's a deep snore - a man's snore, I conclude.

" _Should I open the door?"_ I stare at it, scrunching my eyebrows. I am curious about who lives here. And I do want to make sure that they're not ax murderers or psychos. " _If this guy looks like a psycho, I'm going to run away while I can,"_ I decide.

I grip the doorknob and push down slowly. It's unlocked.

I crack the door open and scan the inside of the room. The first thing I notice is how tidy it is. Yeah, this guy is probably not a kid. There's a king sized bed in the center of the room and a mass of black and white checkers crumpled on top. The blanket moves steadily as Gilbert breathes, but I can't see him. Overall, everything is basically black, grey, or white. There's huge a Prussian flag hanging above the headboard of the bed. As my eyes sweep the room, I see a familiar pink and yellow lump on the desk: it's my wallet!

" _What did he want? My money?"_ I almost burst out laughing.

I do want my wallet back though. It has my ID cards.

I take one step into the room and stand still, watching the bed. Nothing changes. I walk towards my wallet quietly, careful to avoid bumping into furniture. I'm almost there when the blanket suddenly starts moving. I become so focused on watching the bed that I run into the corner of the desk.

A loud cry escapes me before I can stop it.

Gilbert yells in response and leaps out of the bed.

Suddenly, I'm looking at one of the hottest guys I've ever laid eyes on. The only thing he's wearing are a pair of black boxers. His lithe body has muscle in all the right places. His hair is messy and fluffed up. In the intense moonlight, it looks almost like silver fire. but what that catches my attention the most are his eyes.

His amber eyes catch the light in a way that makes them a smouldering red. I'm entranced by them as they scan down body and flick back back up to search my face. They have an acuteness that slightly intimidates me.

"You're up," a german accent laces his English words. His voice is low and a little scratchy - just like you'd expect someone who just woke up to sound - but there's a purr to it that makes my legs weak.

I swallow. "Y-yeah," I say stupidly. My eyes flick down to his lips. I see the edge of his mouth twitch with amusement.

He doesn't say anything. He just runs his hand over his stubble, his eyes never leaving my face.

Everything about this man has a certain… _intensity_ to it. His face is angular, with his cheekbones becoming even more prominent as his fingers run down to his chin. The muscle lines along his body are rigid.

"It's literally 3 in the morning Gilbert, why are you scre..." The voice behind me trails off.

I turn around to see _another_ one of the most attractive guys I've ever seen. He almost seems like the opposite of Gilbert, but with just the same degree of intensity. He's bulkier and taller. His eyes are an icy blue that don't wander.

"Oh great, are there _more_ hot guys in this house?" I say dubiously.

Crap, I just said that outloud.

The man who just walked in raises his eyebrow, but I can tell he's hiding a smile. Gilbert bursts out laughing.

"I didn't mean to say that outloud…" I mumble. I pray the room is dark enough to hide the fact that I'm blushing.

"So, I assume you broke into my room for your wallet?" Gilbert's voice lost all the seriousness it had before. His expression was softer, prompting me to relax.

"Maybe I did."

"Well, it obviously wasn't to visit me." He smirks. "But maybe you've changed your mind now." He winks at me as he hands me my wallet.

I roll my eyes. "Why did you have my wallet anyway?"

"I just wanted to figure out who you were. You are living in my house after all, Elizabeta." Strangely, I really like the way he says my name.

"It's mine too you know." The blue-eyed man leans against the doorframe with his arms crossed. "Also, don't you think we should introduce ourselves?"

"Whatever," Gilbert says. "But yeah, I suppose it would be helpful for you to know what to call us. Though I'm sure you've already heard of me. The name's Gilbert Beilschmidt, but you can call me sexy." He gives me another wink.

My eyes widen. Gilbert _Beilschmidt_? Co-CEO of _BL Schmidt_? My mind flashes back to several news and Buzzfeed headlines: "Gilbert Beilschmidt: Billionaire Bad Boy", "Gilbert Beilschmidt: Smash or Smash?", "Gilbert Beilschmidt Placed Number 1 in Forbes most Eligible Billionaires".

"Then you're… Ludwig?" I say, turning towards the man in the door.

He nods. "Ludwig Beilschmidt."

Oh. My. God.

"Ludwig Beilschmidt: Cold… or Smoking Hot?", "Ludwig Beilschmidt Nominated For People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive", "Ludwig Beilschmidt Voted For Gentleman of The Year".

These guys are billionaire CEOs...they're celebrities! How did I end up at their _house_?

"Um…" I say timidly. "How...How did I end up here?"

Ludwig and Gilbert look at each other.

"You really don't remember?" Ludwig asks.

I shake my head.

"You don't remember?" Gilbert looks almost excited when he says this, but Ludwig jabs him in the ribs, and his smile fades into a frown.

"It's a funny story." Gilbert rubs the back of his neck. "So I- well - um."

"He crashed into your car and took you here after the accident," Ludwig says.

"WHAT?" I scream.

"LUDWIG! I was getting there you fucker!"

" _You_ were that asshole in that silver BL Schmidt _Eagle_?!" The memories came flooding back. I touch my head and feel a bandage. "How long was I asleep?"

"Three days." Gilbert makes a crooked smile.

"Three?!" I grab my head, gripping my hair. My last chance to pay all my overdue rent was due two days ago! My landlord would have already evicted me! I catch a glimpse of my clothes; they're cute maroon pyjamas… and they sure aren't mine. "Did one of you undress me?" I focus my gaze on Gilbert.

"N-Nein! No! Of course not! We got Lily, our maid, to do that…" Gilbert throws his hands up. "I know I'm a hoe, but I'm not _that much_ of a hoe. Besides, unconscious girls aren't my thing."

There's a moment of awkward silence.

What am I going to do? My house is gone, my car is wrecked, my wallet is empty, my bank is empty, and even my freaking instant ramen is gone! My body feels hot from all the anger and panic bubbling inside me. Maybe I should steal some expensive stuff in this house and make a run for it? Aw what the hell, who am I kidding? I'm not that kind of person. I shatter the tense silence with a huge scream.

"Gilbert, you brought her here. She's all yours." Ludwig backs out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

"L-Ludwig get back here! What the hell man?" He looks at the door, then looks at me and sighs. "A-are you alright?"

"What kind of stupid question is that?" I retort. "I have nothing left! I was going to be alright you know! I was gonna pay my rent two days ago! I was gonna find a job, and get a new car, and find a new place, and fix my life! I was gonna be okay! Now my car **and** my house are gone thanks to you! I HAVE NOTHING!" I basically word vomit all over him, but I don't care. He's lucky I don't punch him in the face, or kick him in the family jewels.

He takes a deep breath. "Look, Liz I-"

"Don't you dare "Liz" me! Who gave you the right to give me a nick-"

"Elizabeta." He says my name so firmly it shuts me up. What is up with this guy? One moment he's an absolute doofus that I'd have no problem sassing, then another moment he's like my boss, and I'm afraid of getting fired. Well, I suppose he _is_ the CEO of a powerful company.

"I know you're broke," he says, crossing his arms. His shoulders look bigger, making him seem more intimidating. "Your wallet is empty and your car was already a wreck before I hit it. I know you need a job. That's why I wanted to offer you a position. The salary is $100 000. With this attitude of yours, I was thinking of reconsidering. But, we need more feisty people around here, so I'll give you a shot at it… if you want it."

 _ **$100 000.**_

My jaw drops open. There's so much I can do with a salary like that. My head spins - I can afford _everything_ I need with a salary like that! And probably everything I _want_ too. There's no way I'll ever find another job that will offer me this much. Not anytime soon at least.

A smirk finds its way to his lips. He can tell he's got me.

" _Play this smart Elizabeta."_ I can't just accept. This is too good to be true.

"What's the catch?"

"Catch?" He raises his eyebrow. "There is no catch. You work for me, I pay you. Very simple deal."

"What will I be doing exactly?" I narrow my eyes. People normally don't just offer six figure jobs to random people they get into a car crash with. Then again, nothing about getting hit by a luxury car and waking up in a billionaire's house is exactly what I'd call "normal".

"You'll be my personal assistant."

Oh no, I'll have to see this asshole everyday? I was hoping I'd get a nice office job somewhere far away from him. I knew there was a catch.

"Is this your way of apologizing for ruining my life?"

"It can be if you want it to be." He shrugs. "But let's be real, the life I'm offering you is much better than the one you used to have."

He's got a point.

"Do some research, think a little. I'll give you time to make your decision. And close the door behind you." He turns to go back to bed.

"I'll take it," I blurt.

"What?" Surprise lights up in his eyes.

"I have nothing. Nothing to lose and everything to gain," I say. "I'll take it."

* * *

A/N: This chapter was all Elizabeta; we'll see Gilbert's take on all this next chapter. Stay tuned for another exciting installment of _Working for Gilbert Beilschmidt_ … **Leave a review**! Say what you thought, I really love hearing from you. And who knows, maybe you could influence the story somehow. ;)

 **Next chapter release date - Estimated: July 28th.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **Character Profiles:** **document/d/1WDg0VT_CGOVcd1T7NBIp31sOZGt1m6zwwke31TiSMfU/edit**

 _Contains: Character portraits as I've imagined them in this AU, basic character info, character summary, and affiliates/companies._

 **Will be updated as story progresses!**

* * *

 **Okay first things first:** I'm so sorry for the late update. I'm currently about to start college, and these last weeks have been crazy with traveling with the fam, packing, and planning. ^-^"

It's going to be hard for me to stay on schedule, but I hope you stick with me… because I do plan to finish this story! Anyway, onwards we go!

* * *

 **Responses to Reviews!**

 **NoctisNight:** Thank you! :D

 **Exca314:** Knowing Gilbert, there's definitely a catch. ;) What it is...well, that would be spoilers. Not to worry, the show will go on!

 **GreyLady1575:** Hm, maybe your theory is right… you will certainly have to wait and see! :)

 **XxDesertAngelxX:** Thank you, and don't worry, it will continue!

* * *

 _Gilbert_

I lay in bed wondering what I just got myself into. Why did I do this? Weren't there other ways to keep her from reporting the crash to the police? I doubt she was even going to report it, and even if she did, they probably wouldn't even believe her. I had Alejandro clean up the car. That banana car is probably already a cube of crushed metal by now.

Do I feel sorry for her? Do I actually feel _responsible_ for her wellbeing?

I scoff.

I never feel responsible for anyone but myself (except maybe Ludwig). Everybody can take care of their own lives. I don't need someone else's dependency weighing me down.

Then why did I give her this job?

I guess she's pretty cute, but that's definitely not why I hired her. I'm a nail and bail kind of guy. And she's… different. She's not like any other girl I've been with. She's got an attitude, and she'll push back if you try her. She's not _easy_.

This damn woman is already doing my head in.

Not to mention, I've never even had a personal assistant before. I don't even know what one is supposed _to do_. And then I just made up that salary on the spot. 100K works right?

I toss and turn for another hour before I decide that there's no way I'm going back to sleep. I throw my blanket off and grab my phone. It's 4:17 AM. Way too fucking early for all this shit. I decide to make myself some breakfast. Maybe I'll watch some Netflix too to get my mind off of everything.

" _What do I feel like eating?"_ I see a lot of stuff in the fridge that I can use to whip up a flashy breakfast, but I'm feeling lazy. " _Bacon and eggs it is."_

I put on some music to cheer myself up, but I keep it low. I don't need Ludwig getting on my case this early.

I'm reveling in the smell of the sizzling bacon and shaking my butt to Bruno Mars when I hear a meek voice behind me.

"Um...hey. I uh, smelled bacon."

It's Elizabeta, she's standing there looking all cute in those maroon pyjamas like she didn't just snark me out an hour ago. What am I supposed to do about this woman? I came down here to get my mind off of her, and now she's right here. I should tell her to beat it.

"Yeah... you want me to make you some?"

" _What am I doing?"_ I'm internally screaming at myself.

"Oh! I can make it myself…"

"No, don't worry about it. Go sit or something. You like scrambled eggs and toast?"

Okay yeah, something's definitely wrong with me.

"Yeah, thank you." When she smiles at me, I really notice her eyes for the first time. They're a stunning light green - the kind that paralyzes you if you look at them for too long. Right now, they have a certain excited light to them. I guess I can understand why she's so happy though… she must have been living on cheap food for awhile.

I smile back. "No problem." I need to pull myself together; I'm being too nice. I snap out of my daze and force myself to turn away from her. "I've made breakfast for plenty of girls." There, that sounds more like me.

I hear her huff behind me.

I can sense her rolling her eyes at me too, which makes me chuckle.

"By the way… Nice dance moves." Her tone is teasing.

It's my turn to roll my eyes.

There's something about this girl that makes me change the way I act. It's like she knows how to get to me. But the most irritating thing is that she doesn't know that she knows how to get to me. ...Does that even make sense? I don't know, I've never thought about a girl this much before.

I drop the bread into the toaster and stare at it. Is this too plain? Maybe Liz would prefer french toast. Should I sprinkle some powdered sugar on it too? Add a strawberry? Sprinkle some cinnamon? Maybe I should make some whipped cream too. Girls like sweet things right?

I open the fridge and start reaching for the whipping cream. Then I freeze.

" _What the hell? What am I doing?"_ I told myself I was too lazy to make anything big, and now I want to become Gordon Ramsay because a girl I barely know decided to wreck my alone time? " _I'm an absolute mess. Screw me."_ I sigh, lost in my thoughts.

"Hey, you alright?" Elizabeta says behind me.

"Huh?" I turn to look at her and she has this funny look on her face. "What?"

"You've been standing there for awhile you know. The fridge alarm is going off."

"Crap." I close the refrigerator door.

There's an awkward silence.

"I'm going to help you."

"Wha-"

"You can't say no!" She shuts me up by putting her finger on my lips.

I stood there in shock for awhile. I felt something when she touched my lips; it was a weird churning sensation in my gut. It's almost like the feeling you get when you just got off of one of those teacup rides at Disneyland… nausea? No, this feeling was too nice. " _Okay yeah, I'm definitely sick."_

Liz snaps me out of my daze, "Hey Gilbert, did you want to toast these or not?"

"Uh, I…" I sigh. "No, I'll make french toast instead."

Her eyes light up. "That's my favo-" She cuts herself off and clears her throat. "I mean… That sounds great." She smiles awkwardly at me.

I had to admit, her excitement made me feel… kinda warm inside. " _Ew. Pull yourself together Gil."_ I rolled my eyes at myself, but Elizabeta must've thought I was rolling them at her because she immediately turned away.

"I-I'll help you make the french toast!" she said quickly, cracking an egg into a bowl.

I silently slap my forehead. " _I'm sorry Liz. That wasn't for you."_ I decide that I have to diffuse her awkwardness somehow. Maybe I can trigger her sass. I notice the cinnamon on the shelf right above her and I smirk. I walk up behind her and place my hands on the counter, completely surrounding her.

I can feel her tense.

"Relax sugar, I'm just reaching for the cinnamon." I make sure my face is close to her ear.

"Don't call me sugar."

"You're sweet for helping me out here, so I'm going to call you sugar."

"Well that was the cheesiest thing I've ever heard, and it's also gross because it's coming from you. So I'm going to call you cheeto," she said defiantly. [A/N: *Sorry people who like cheetos. :(*]

I couldn't help but burst into laughter. This girl is really something else.

"I'm sorry, I didn't-" she starts.

"Hey, look at me." I step back to give her the space to turn around, her face looks tense, like she's ready for me to yell at her. "I may be your _new_ boss, and eventually I'll just be your boss. But! I also want to be your friend. I like to think of all of my employees as friends. "Employee" sounds like someone who's replaceable y'know? Everyone is and deserves to feel important... Plus, it makes the company stronger. It's... a policy I have."

Her expression changes. "Wow that's actually… really cool of you."

"I'm glad you think so," I flash a smile. "Don't be afraid to be yourself. Besides, your attitude keeps me on my toes. Nobody has ever been brave enough to sass me before their first day of work." I wink and I swear I see her blush. "Now… can we actually have some breakfast?"

* * *

 _Elizabeta_

After that early Saturday morning, I started to think that maybe Gilbert isn't as bad as I thought he was… Maybe I could actually like him. But of course, I still barely know him.

Then again, he did take me shopping yesterday. " _I'm not that shallow, nobody can win my trust just by letting me use their credit card!"_ I sigh. " _But it is a huge form of trust right?"_ Not to mention, he also offered me a room here at his house until I had enough to get my own place.

I glance at the clock, it's 6:30 AM. I should get ready for my first day of work.

I'm relieved to find that neither of the boys are up yet. I take a shower and throw on a towel. I put on some make-up and I look at my hair. " _I wonder if I should do something special with it."_

I hate putting my hair up, but I decide to try it just for this new job. It is the best one I've ever had after all, I should put effort into it (even if _Gilbert_ is my boss). I put it into a stylish bun. " _I look cute."_

I step out into the hallway and begin making my way back to my room when I see Gilbert emerge from his room, yawning.

I turn quickly, praying I can make it back to the bathroom before he sees me.

"Liz?"

Crap.

"Good morning…" I murmur, avoiding his gaze.

"You don't have to run from me you know," he says.

I look up at him and he's got a look of amusement plastered on his face. "I don't usually bite." He eyes the towel wrapped around my body. "But I would if you wanted me to." He winks.

I feel a weird mix of emotions when I hear him say that. I want to think he's a perv, but at the same time, I want him to say it again. "I will punch you," I manage to reply.

He laughs. "Alright, no biting today."

"I'm leaving." I turn. Ugh, I just really want to get away from him.

"Hey! Isn't your room this way Sugar?"

I turn again and stomp past him, refusing to look at his face. "Yeah, whatever Cheeto. I was taking the long way."

I swear I can feel his eyes on me as I power walk to my room. I flip the bird over my shoulder and I hear Gilbert chuckle. " _Aha! He was watching me. Perv."_ I slam the door for good measure.

" _I'm so not ready for this job."_ I let out a sigh. There's something about that man that throws me off my game. How am I supposed to be professional? I face the mirror and stare hard at myself." _He is your boss Elizabeta! You_ _ **will**_ _see him all day, everyday; and you_ _ **will**_ _be okay with it."_ I need to pull myself together. I _need_ this job. I put on a matching black blazer and skirt. I pin my name tag on and fix the black BL Schmidt beret onto my head. " _Not bad."_

I straighten my blazer and make my way downstairs.

Both boys are already downstairs in the kitchen.

I grab myself a chocolate muffin from the tray in the middle of the table. I take a big bite. " _This is the best breakfast I've had in ages."_

"Here." Ludwig hands me a cup of coffee. "It's a new brew of mine, I want your opinion on it."

I don't really like coffee, but I take a sip, and it feels heavenly on my tongue. " _This is the best damn bean juice I've ever had."_ I have to think of a more elegant way to put it.

"What do you think?" he asks.

"This is the best damn bean juice I've ever had." I blurt. Oops.

Ludwig smiles. "I'm glad you like the damn bean juice."

I laugh and catch Gilbert looking at us over Ludwig's shoulder. He has a weird expression on his face, but he turns away when he notices me looking at him.

"Hey Ludwig," I whisper. "Do you have any tips on how to deal with Gilbert?"

He leans closer. "He's got two modes: business and flirty. When he's in business mode, never step out of line. When he's in flirty mode, good luck. Even I don't know how to handle that."

"What are you two ladies gossiping about?" Gilbert leans against the kitchen island, sipping his coffee.

"Who're you calling a lady, lady?" Ludwig grabs the car keys, and Gilbert sticks his tongue out. "I've got to stop by the warehouse. You'll have to ride with Gil, is that alright?"

"I'll survive," I reply.

After a long car ride full of me and Gilbert competing to see who can annoy the other more, we finally arrive.

I've passed by the BL Schmidt office building so many times, but I never thought I would ever set foot in it.

We stride into the lobby and I'm so starstruck by everything that I bump into someone.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry." I stumble backwards. A strong hand catches my arm and helps me stay on my feet.

"Hey, don't worry abou it pretty lady."

I look up and I'm met with a _totally_ gorgeous man. He's tall, he's got a blue suit, carefully groomed blonde hair, warm blue eyes, and a dazzling smile. He looks like somebody you'd cast for an American teen chick flick - the definition of a modern American hottie. " _Honestly, what the hell is going on with all these hot guys suddenly showing up in my life? … Not that I'm complaining."_

"Liz, seriously? It's only your first day and you-" Gilbert approaches, about to spit out some insult when he stops short. His eyes flick to the man in front of me. "Well, well, _well_. If it isn't Alfred F. Jones. Here for the car show later tonight?" I sense a touch of passive aggression in his voice.

" _Wait a minute - Alfred F. Jones? This must be the CEO of A.F Jones… BL Schmidt's biggest competitor. No wonder Gil's on edge."_

"Gilbert Beilschmidt. Why yes, I am. Just thought I'd drop in and see your new lobby." Alfred gave him a curt nod before turning to me again with a gentle smile. "Well Liz, it's your first day on the job huh? I guess I shouldn't keep you any longer. But here's some advice from a veteran: don't lose your patience." His eyes shift to Gilbert. "I know some people can be hard to handle."

There's a hard silence for a second.

"Don't call her Liz."

" _Why the heck would he choose to say that as a comeback?"_ I give him a weird face, but he's not looking at me.

Gilbert stares at Alfred with a stony gaze before nodding his head at me. "Come on."

"Have a good day you two." Alfred smiles.

I give him a smile, but Gilbert doesn't look back.

We're silent the whole way up in the elevator. I can feel the tension rolling off of him, and it's almost stifling.

Once the elevator opens, he leads me down a corridor with pictures of beautiful cars and newspaper clippings hanging in frames on the walls. I was so distracted, I almost bumped into Gilbert when he suddenly stopped.

" _Ugh I really need to pay more attention to where I'm going."_

"Good morning Gilbert!" The lady behind the desk chirped, pushing a clipboard towards him. Her eyes shifted to me and her expression very subtly soured. "Who is she?"

I gave her a good ol' manhattan once over. She had dark hair with blond ombre, deep brown eyes, and a Chanel blazer. I assumed she was wearing a skirt and heels. She looked hostile… at least towards me.

"This is Elizabeta, she's my personal assistant," Gilbert replied. "Liz, this is Olive - my call manager."

We shake hands, and I feel the tension in her fingers.

"Well, this is a surprise. You said you would never get a personal assistant." She smiled stiffly.

Then, it suddenly dawned on me. " _Ah I know what's going on now. She totally has a crush on him."_

"I changed my mind." Gilbert shrugged, beginning to walk away. "Get on those customer calls. Start with the blue list."

" _Poor girl, she doesn't stand a chance."_

"O-okay! I will."

I gave Olive a little head nod as I followed Gilbert. She looked like she wanted to kill me.

We walked all the way to the end of the hall and went into the room on the left. He held the door for me and then closed it behind us.

I made my way to the window and took in the incredible view. " _Wow, you can see everything from here."_

"Elizabeta."

I turned to face him. His gaze was sharp, making me slightly uneasy. Especially since we were the only ones in this room.

"Alfred is not a good man. You will stay away from him."

"What? He seemed fine to me," I replied.

"He's got a silver tongue and a black heart."

"You can't just tell me who I can and can't talk to."

"Yes I can. I'm your boss."

"Sorry, but I need a real reason _boss_." I don't know why I'm giving him a hard time on this, but I feel defiant. "Does his hotness make your ego feel threatened?"

He moves towards me slowly, until I'm backed up into the window and I can feel the heat coming off of his body. "You will stay away from Alfred F. Jones. If you don't, you will get hurt and I won't be there to save you."

My heartrate jumps as I feel almost suffocated by the weight in his low voice. "I- uh - um…" I force myself to shut up before I continue my incoherent mumbling.

"Do I make you nervous?" I see the edge of his mouth curve into a small smirk.

" _Oh heck no, I'm not letting him win."_

"W-why'd you tell Alfred not to call me Liz?" I blurt. " _Wow real smooth."_

He pauses, then gives me a devious smile. "Because that's _my_ nickname for you." He turns away, leaving me staring at him dumbfoundedly.

He drops his briefcase in his office chair and picks up the phone, quickly punching in a number. "Hey Luke, I want the room beside my office completely cleared in the next four hours. Think you can do that?" He pauses. "Awesome! Thanks man." He turns to me. "Alright, we gotta go and get some furniture for your new office. Come on loser, we're going shopping."

His comment destroys all the tension in the room, and I can't help but laugh. "First of all, it's " _get in_ loser", and second of all, I can't believe you watched _Mean Girls_."

He rolls his eyes. "I know what the line is stupid. I just thought it didn't make sense in the context of us standing in this office."

"Okay whatever you say boss," I say sarcastically. As we walk into the hallway, I ask him an important question. "So, do we wear pink on Wednesdays?"

His only reply is a huge eyeroll.

* * *

A/N: Well, well, well. Looks like we've finally met Mr. Alfred F. Jones. What do you think started the beef between Gil and Alfie? Please **leave a review** and tell me what you thought! :) Feel free to tell me what you liked and what you didn't like, I am always open for improvement.

 **Next chapter release date - Estimated: The week of September 25th**


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